The Greek word “meta" can also mean "over" or "above," and this is the sense used in formal mathematical logic with the term “meta-language”. This refers to systematic discussions of the language of logic, the rules for the use of its symbols, and so on. (Other logical symbols are used to discuss the first-order symbols. This means that the meta-language might need a “meta-meta-language,” and there are tactics to try to avoid an endless regress of meta-languages.) In this second sense, a meta-story would be an analysis of a story’s language and tactics and structure. (But see [13] for suggestions about modes of comment and criticism that are not located "above" the work being criticized.)

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